


Strawberry-coloured Days

by amamiya_toki



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Birthday Cake, Birthday Presents, M/M, Strawberries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 04:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9367895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amamiya_toki/pseuds/amamiya_toki
Summary: It was surprising to Iori that Riku would ask him out to pick strawberries, but little did he know that this would lead to an even bigger surprise.  For Iori's birthday 2017.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The only reason why I'm posting Iori's birthday fic a week early is because I finished it too early and also because it's my own (Thank you Lyrie for the [Tenn](https://www.facebook.com/lyrieeeee/photos/a.681283248594764.1073741837.629918370397919/1283175898405493/)!). 
> 
> I didn't intend to have any pairings for this, but in the end, I ended up writing a little on Iori's feelings. He and Riku aren't dating, nor have they openly expressed their feelings for one another. Alternatively, you can take it as Iori being Iori.
> 
> To note, in Victorian flower language, strawberries symbolise perfection and “sweetness in life and character". Hence why I decided to name this fic as such.
> 
> And as usual, enjoy!

"Say, Iori, do you like strawberries?"

Izumi Iori let out a small sigh. He was studying his script for the new drama he was to make a cameo in, lounging comfortably on the sofa in the dormitory's living room when his group mate, Nanase Riku, came to speak to him. He closed the booklet, placing it flat on his lap.

"I don't hate them, but why are you asking this out of the blue?"

"Well, I was thinking if we could go out somewhere next Saturday since we both have the day off. I mean, it's better than just cooping up indoors with nothing better to do, right?"

"I understand that, but you are not answering my question. What about the strawberries?"

"About that! While I was filming a variety programme with Momo-san the other day, he mentioned something about a farm located just a little out of the city with really delicious strawberries. Since it's already January, they should be ripe for picking, right? I never tried that before, so I was thinking of trying, just once!"

"I don't like sweet things, you know." He sounded as if he was not interested in the trip to the farm and was trying to avoid going.

Despite what he had said, Iori wanted to go. He had heard through social media that the Usamimi Friends franchise was having a collaboration with one of the biggest strawberry farms in the country. He had been there with his parents before when he was a child and most, if not all of the strawberries used in his family's shop were supplied from that farm so he knew its name by heart. During the collaboration period, there would be a special line of exclusive merchandise including stationary, straps and plush toys that would be sold at the farm.

If the farm that Riku had mentioned was the exact same one, then he would be in luck.

"There are strawberries which are sour too, you know!" Riku protested, his cheeks puffing up.

Somehow, it reminded Iori of the fruit they had been talking about. It was adorable, not that he would admit it out loud. "Why don't you ask someone like Big Brother or Rokuya-san? I'm sure they would appreciate going strawberry picking more than I would."

"I want to go with Iori!"

It was a selfish request from the redhead, one that he did not have to oblige. However, there was no way that he would honestly admit that he wanted to go, especially if it was for the rabbit mascot.

"Why don't you just go along with him?"

"Welcome back, Mitsuki! Thank you for your hard work!"

"Welcome home, Big Brother. How much of that conversation did you hear?"

Izumi Mitsuki gave his younger brother a wide smile. "Since Riku mentioned about the Momo-san and the strawberries. Why don't you go along with him? It sounds fun, plus you lik... don't hate strawberries, right?"

"Still..."

"Besides, there's only a month or so to Valentine's, right? I want to try making something for our variety programme, so I'd like to get my hand on some of those strawberries for testing. You could get some for me while you're there."

"You could just get some from a supermarket."

"No no, it has to be those strawberries. You know what Dad used to say. The best sweets are made of only two things: love, and the best ingredients one can obtain. I'll give you money in advance for the strawberries plus some extra as allowance for this trip. Go have a good time with Riku, okay?"

"Yay!" Having Mitsuki's approval, Riku could not help but rejoice. "That's settled! We'll leave first thing Saturday morning! I'm really looking forward to this!"

"I didn't even agree..."

Iori was tempted to sigh at how the matter had turned out, but perhaps it was not a bad thing after all.

On the day itself, the pair left the dormitory after eating a light breakfast. They had planned to begin the day by attending the first session of fruit picking at the farm, as Iori had advised that fruits taste best when picked in the morning. As the farm offered an all-you-can-eat system during the session, they wanted to leave some space in their bellies for the delicious fruit.

"Iori, look! The ones here are a really nice red!"

"Nanase-san, you cannot simply choose the berries based on their colour alone."

"It's fine! It's just going to be a hit or miss, anyway!"

"You have to aim for the sweet ones or we would be wasting our time and money!"

At farms like these, condensed milk was also provided for dipping the strawberries in, for those who wanted a change of flavour and texture or an extra burst of sweetness. Iori used to eat them that way as a child, but he avoided doing so this time. He did not stop Riku from doing so, as it was the redhead's first time at the fields. He had been talking about the trip almost everyday since the day they had decided to go, so Iori did not have the heart to dampen his spirits.

"Yummy! I didn't know strawberries could taste this good!"

"That's because they're grown with care in a good environment. Also, they retain their freshness and vitamins because they are eaten right away, so it's different from eating those that are bought from the supermarket."

"As expected of Iori! You're really knowledgable, aren't you? I can't believe you're really younger than me."

"You would be able to know this kind information if you bothered to check. You can even do it on your smartphone on the go."

"Ahh, I see! Oh, those over at the end of that row look good! Let's go try them!"

Grabbing Iori by the hand, Riku dashed over to the spot that had caught his attention. It caused the younger teen to yelp in surprise.

"Nanase-san, don't run in the greenhouse!"

The time for the strawberry picking session was short and it ran out in the blink of an eye. By then, Riku had already stuffed himself to the brim: he had eaten at least thirty berries; Iori had stopped keeping count after the twentieth. On the other hand, he had eaten twenty-five of them. It was more than enough to make him feel full. He worried about having overeaten, but he was satisfied with being able to eat such delicious strawberries after a long time.

He was not lying when he said he did not hate the fruit. In fact, there was no one in the Izumi family who did not love it. While the statement could apply to a variety of other fruits, the youngest son was especially fond of the red berries. He loved the balance of sweetness and tartness of the fruit, and how his parents were able to create so many different confections that all looked and tasted delicious. Leftover berries were his favourite snack and his older brother was always more than happy to share his portion. Of course, he rarely accepted them, as their mother discouraged overeating. Perhaps it was due to his love of strawberries that his birthday cake would always be strawberry shortcake.

And speaking of his birthday cake, his birthday was coming up soon. Personally, Iori did not see it as a matter of great importance or something worth celebrating. Every year, it was an occasion that he celebrated with only his family; he barely had no one he could consider a friend so he did not feel the need to hold a party like his brother would. However, he was more than satisfied with that and had no qualms about the matter.

After they were done picking strawberries and savouring them, Iori and Riku went over to the shop to purchase the strawberries Mitsuki had requested. While the man had requested for two large punnets, he gave them enough money for five. They had decided to buy two extras for the rest of their group and the staff at their agency.

"Let's buy some for Momo-san and Yuki-san as well, since they were the ones who suggested this place to us," Iori suggested. "Of course, we will pay for this with our own money; I'd feel bad using Big Brother's money for souvenirs."

"And some for Tenn-nii, too! And Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san!"

"Yes yes, of course."

It was at this time that Iori caught sight of the display for the Usamimi Friends collaboration, as well as the entire range of merchandise that was available for sale. The design of and the items themselves aside, even the way the way they were being displayed was nothing but adorable to him. It felt his heart with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

"Iori? Say, Iori, are you listening to me?"

"I wasn't, I apologise. What were you saying earlier?"

"I'm still not sure how to choose the strawberries… those in the punnet. Could you teach me how to choose good ones, again? Please?"

"You're really a cu… hopeless person, aren't you? I'm only going to repeat myself this one time, so please listen attentively."

"Of course!"

At the end of the shopping, the boys ended up with two bags of berries. Iori did not purchase any of the merchandise from the collaboration, despite Riku noticing that he had his eyes glued to the display and had asked if there was anything else he wanted to buy. He had regretted his decision not to, but he did not want the redhead knowing of his secret. He would die of embarrassment if he did.

"We really brought a lot, didn't we? I hope our refrigerator can fit all of this."

"It's pretty big and we rarely stock it to the brim, so we should be able to fit most of them in there. Well, now that we're done with this, shall we walk back to the bus stop?"

As per their plan, they intended to take a bus back to the train station nearest to their dormitory, where they would be able to store the berries to preserve their freshness. They were too full to consider eating lunch early, so they would head out for a late meal at the soba shop the agency usually orders takeout from. They would head to the bookstore at the shopping district after that, as the both of them had newly-released novels they wanted to purchase.

"Ah!" Instead of replying to Iori's question, Riku let out a yelp of surprise. This made Iori puzzled.

"Did you forget or drop something?"

"No, it's not that! I… err, I need to take a leak!"

Iori could not help but to heave a sigh. "Why did you have to phrase it in such a vulgar manner? That aside, you should have told me about that sooner; the ride takes more than an hour. Shall I hold your backpack for you?"

"Ah! No! It's fine, I can carry it on my own!"

Iori watched Riku run off with a puzzled expression on his face. Usually, he would have the younger teen watch over his things when he had to use the washroom. Insisting that he wanted to carry that backpack with him was unusual.

What made matters stranger was that he was taking quite a long time to return. However, he simply waited for him to return without any complaints.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Riku yelled as he came running back. "There was quite a long queue for the washroom."

That was an understandable reason. The number of people had increased significantly as they were going around picking berries, many of them are came in groups, of friends and family. There were even quite a number of couples. From the looks of it, there were more than enough people for the next three to four sessions.

"Nanase-san, I told you not to run— Ah!"

Just as he had warned him, Riku tripped over a stone. It caused him to lose his balance and he faltered a bit to steady himself, but he failed to do so and fell. Fortunately, before his body could make contact with the ground, Iori caught him in time.

"Phew! That was close! Thanks, Iori!"

"That's why I told you not to run. Can you stand up?"

"Yup! I'm sorry... I'll be careful next time?"

"That's what you always say. Really, what will I ever do with you? Come, let us return back to the dorms."

During the ride to the farms, Riku had been bursting with energy and was chatting with Iori during the entire ride. However, as they boarded the bus and took a seat near the back, he looked exhausted. He even let out a yawn.

"Nanase-san, if you're exhausted, you can take a nap."

"Yeah... I'll do that."

Closing his eyes slowly, Riku soon drifted to sleep. The pace of his breathing was a sure sign of that. However, he had nodded off with his head unsupported and it was swaying along with the movements of the bus. That changed when the bus made a turn at a sharp corner, causing his body to slide towards Iori and as a result, allowed his head to lean on the younger teen's shoulder.

The sudden contact and weight made him blush, but he did not hate it.

Riku slept the entire way back, while Iori simply watched him. As he did, he felt his heart pounding hard and fast in his chest. He could not help but to find that sleeping face adorable. He also noticed that he smelt sweet, perhaps because of the strawberries.

When the bus pulled to a halt at the designated station, Iori woke him up and they alighted, proceeding to continue the rest of the day as they had planned.

The next three days passed, busy as it always would with him juggling school, work as well as the managerial duties which he had volunteered to do. He was reminded several times that his birthday was coming up, not just by his older brother but by everyone else around him. However, he treated it as a matter of no concern; he had better things to worry about.

One evening, he returned home to see Mitsuki and Riku in the kitchen.

"No, that's not how you do it. You need to beat the cream harder. Put more strength into your arms; yup, you're getting it right!"

He had no idea what the both of them were up to, but he found himself curious at what he was watching. His brother making sweets in the kitchen was a normal sight... but Riku as well?

"I'm home."

"G-Gah! I-Iori?" When Riku heard his voice he yelped, nearly dropping the bowl and whisk he was holding. "Y-You're back?"

This alone confirmed Iori's suspicions: something was up, and it involved him.

"Y-Yo, Iori, welcome back. You're earlier than expected. How did the recording go?"

His brother was trying to act as if nothing is out of place, but Iori was not dense enough to let it pass.

"It was fine. What are you and Nanase-san making? There's a sweet smell wafting about."

"Oh! We're doing the test samples for that Valentine's thing I mentioned. Cupcakes! Riku here had nothing to do, so I roped him in as my assistant."

"Nanase-san, you can bake?"

"N-Not as well as you or Mitsuki... or Tenn-nii." He admitted sheepishly. "But I'm improving! Mitsuki said so!"

"Ahh, good for you." Because he was exhausted, Iori's reply came out colder than he had intended for it to be; he just wanted to soak in the tub, do some studying and tuck himself into bed as soon as possible. "Is the bath free?"

"Tamaki's been inside for a while; he may have fallen asleep in there so you may need to drag him out."

Another addition to his troubles, Iori sighed to himself.

"I'll check on him. Thank you for informing me, Big Brother."

"Sure thing. Enjoy your bath later!"

As Iori disappeared into his room, Riku and Mitsuki both exchanged a sigh of relief.

"That was a close one."

"Yeah. Why am I glad we decided to make the sponge early..." Mitsuki wiped a drop of sweat off his brow. "Come, we'd better continue and finish up before he suspects anything. If we're careful, you can get everything done without him noticing."

"Got it."

Fortunately for the pair, Iori did not seem to realise what they had been up to despite the few suspicious glances he had sent their way.

The next morning, Iori woke up at his usual time for school. He was first greeted by Mitsuki and Ousaka Sougo, who were busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, followed by Rokuya Nagi who was just done brushing his teeth. Riku came in after him, looking sleep-deprived. The rest of the members had to be dragged out of bed: Yotsuba Tamaki for school by Sougo and Nikaidou Yamato by Mitsuki for a job in the morning.

Breakfast was toast with an egg fried sunny side up and sausages, with a small salad on the side and a cup of warm corn soup. Iori, dressed in his uniform, waited for everyone gathered at the table before eating. As they did, each wished him happy birthday, some apologising that they could not have the time to celebrate his special day with him. Iori appreciated their goodwill, but he was busy as well. He still had many scenes to record for the drama he was working on yesterday and according to schedule those would have to done by tonight. To do so, he had to even leave school early.

Fortunately, he managed to finish many of the scenes on the first cut; re-shooting would only take up unnecessary time and effort so he made sure to get it done and over with. He was praised by the director for his excellent work and performance, comparing his level of professionalism to that of Trigger's Kujou Tenn and promised a more prominent role in his next production.

While Iori was not pleased to have been compared to the sharp-tonged perfectionist, he was proud of the effort he had put in as it would reflect on his career and the group positively.

The recording ended by the scheduled time. He thanked and was thanked by the staff for their hard work, presented with a small bouquet of fresh flowers to award him for his efforts. His group's manager was present during this session, as she was to accompany him today. She gave him a ride back to the dormitory in the agency's vehicle, although they made short detours to pick up Yamato and Nagi from their own respective jobs: the leader of the group was at the recording of a movie while the blonde had finished a photo shoot where he modelled for a popular fashion label.

By the time they returned to the agency, it was later than Iori had expected. While he felt rather sour about having to skip out on studying that night, he knew better than to sacrifice his much-needed rest.

However, it bothered him that the always-chatty Nagi was unusually quiet. In fact, it was much too quiet this year, compared to the last. He remembered the rest of the group cooking up plans to celebrate his birthday the previous year, and how they actually managed to surprise him despite him thinking that he had their plan foiled. Despite that, there were no such attempts this year.

Perhaps it was because they were all truly busy, he concluded, but for some reason, he could not help but suspect that something was up.

He glanced towards Yamato, who noticed that his attention was directed towards him. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask if there was something he wanted to inquire about. However, Iori knew well enough that he would be the last person who would spill the beans, considering how he was more or less the mastermind of last year's fiasco, so he decided against getting any information out of him.

When the vehicle pulled into the little car park build on the agency's grounds, Iori could not help but let out a sigh. It had been a long day, and he just wanted it to end.

However, imagine his surprise and confusion when he opened the door to the dormitory to find it pitch black. At this time of night, everyone else should be around, be it in their own rooms or in the common area. The lights would only be switched off right before bedtime, so why...?

Iori switched on the lights, still puzzled as to what was happening. However, he was taken by surprise when he heard the sound of party poppers going off from both behind and in front of him. The next thing he knew, he was covered in confetti.

"Happy birthday!"

"Eh…?"

He had somewhat expected to be surprised, but not in such a simple and straightforward manner.

In front of him were the rest of his group: the Mezzo" duo had party poppers in their hands, while his older brother was holding a wrapped present. However, what caught his attention was the cake Riku was holding. It was no doubt the work of an amateur, judging from its presentation: the cream was piped unevenly and the arrangement of the strawberries appeared messy… and weren't those berries from the farm he and Riku visited over the weekend?

"Iorin?" Tamaki waved a hand in front of his classmate's face. "Are you okay?"

"I think this surprise may have been a bit too much for him to take?" Sougo added, visibly worried.

"Hey, Ichi, are you still alive?"

"Everyone…" Iori did not know what to say. "Since when…?"

"Since after new years. It was Rikkun's suggestion."

"Does that mean that the trip to the strawberry farms was also a part of this?"

"Sorry for keeping it a secret when we know that you don't really like being taken by surprise." Mitsuki apologised sheepishly. "But even though we were all busy we still wanted to celebrate it together, no matter what. It is your special day after all."

"You didn't have to go so far for someone like me…"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Yamato grabbed his head, ruffling his hair. "You're our precious youngest member; letting us spoil you like this every now and then is fine."

"Even so…"

"Well, let's not have our little chit-a-chat at the doorway; our manager seems troubled as to when she can join in the conversation." Nagi interrupted, pointing out the added presence of Tsumugi which no one else had yet to notice. "Let's move into the dormitory where it is more comfortable, shall we?"

"I'll go put the cake down so we can cut it up!" Riku turned and disappeared down the hallway, followed by everyone else.

Iori set his bag down on the couch before moving over to the kitchen to help Riku retrieve the plates and cutlery for the cake.

"Nanase-san, did you make that cake?"

"Most of it. Mitsuki-san guided me for most of it, but it still turned out this way…"

"Certainly, it looks rather shabby."

"Sorry for not having steady hands like you do."

"Let me finish speaking before you pout. It may not be the ideal cake in appearance, but it does reflect the amount of effort and the feelings of the person who made it. Thank you so much for your hard work, Nanase-san; I really appreciate it."

"Iori…" Having the younger teen praise and thank him was unexpected, and it made him pleased. "Oh, I have one more thing for you; here! Happy birthday, from me."

A nearly-flat paper parcel was thrust into his hands. Iori opened it slowly, unsure of its contents. To his surprise, it was a mechanical pencil, and not just an ordinary one. It was the one made for the collaboration at the strawberry farm: the exact same one he had his eye one. It was accompanied by a tube of spare lead in a similar design.

"Why…?"

"Well, you look like you really liked it… the design for that special collaboration I mean. You kept looking at it while we were at the store. But since Iori doesn't like cute things, so I figured a pencil would be a better present compared to a soft animal or a strap."

"I see… thank you, Nanase-san. I will use it with care."

Aside from the cake and pencil, Iori also received other presents from the rest of the members gathered there. From his brother, Yamato and Nagi he received a new set of clothes: a dark coloured cardigan, brown pants and a collared shirt. Sougo gifted him with a CD, an old album of a band whose music he had been interested in. Tamaki gave him a hand-drawn food coupon for the okonomiyaki restaurant located near their school which he had brought him to the year before. From the agency, specifically his manager, the president and their ever-reliable clerk, he received a leather tote to be used for work.

The cake that Riku had prepared was cut and divided amongst those who were present, with two pieces specially saved for their president and the clerk. Despite its appearance, the taste was on par with any patissier's, which was to be expected from the person who taught the redhead how to make it. He was praised by everyone, receiving encouragement from them to improve.

Even though it was his second time celebrating with the rest of the group, Iori was still not used to having his birthday treated as a special occasion. It was different from the peaceful dinners with his family, but he could never hate how lively it was when everyone gathered together.

For the first time, he can remember he is actually looking forward to celebrating his next birthday, especially if it is with these wonderful people.

"Ichi, get over here! We're going to take a commemorative shot for the company blog!"

"I'm coming!"

**\- END -**

**Author's Note:**

> To learn more about strawberry picking in Japan, visit [this site](http://jp-hotnow.com/en/detail/jphn_his042.php?category=leisure) or search up about it on Google. Also, for those who are not familiar with Iori and Usamimi Friends, please refer to chapter 8 of the official Idolish 7 manga drawn by Yamada Nokoshi-sensei
> 
> I want to eat macarons...


End file.
